


Landlocked Blues

by KeepGoing



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek is sad, Derek is the King of Stiles' Board, Derek wont use his words, M/M, Pack Feels, Stiles does something to remember the hales, derek cares about the pack, derek leaves and says goodbye, stiles doesnt think he deserves happiness, the pack is going to miss derek, these boys are so dumb, when you love something set it free, why is derek the king on the chessboard finally answered
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-26 12:18:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3850708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeepGoing/pseuds/KeepGoing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek is leaving Beacon Hills, but is actually saying goodbye this time. So in turn Stiles does something special for him and his family before he leaves. </p>
<p>It means more to Derek than Stiles will ever know. </p>
<p>
  <i>Truth is Stiles has no idea what this <b>thing</b> is between him and Derek. This question with no answer that’s been hanging in the air since that fateful day in the woods when Derek made his presence known in Stiles life. He came in like a soft breeze just mildly blowing through Stiles' mundane life but soon turned into the storm of the century with causalities and a tragic love story that only existed in a mind of a teenage boy who had to grow up too fast. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Landlocked Blues

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Stiles packs the dirt in tighter around the trunk, feeling the prickled bark scraping his knuckles. He stands, brushing the excess off his hands and onto his jeans. He gives a tiny smile to the small yet blossoming tree in front of him with delicate purple petals reaching toward the sun.

It looks good if he may say so himself. 

He looks around, giving one last look to the now empty preserve. The Hale house was the only thing left out here; a constant reminder of just one of the tragic horrors this town has experienced in such a short amount of time. But it’s gone now. Derek’s final closure in his shit show of a life. 

Stiles was there when the demolition crew came and bulldozed it to the ground. Derek wasn’t. Stiles’ gets that. Stiles couldn’t go with his dad the day he brought all his mom’s clothes to the battered woman’s center for donation. 

Some things, no matter how much you know they need to be done, are just too hard to face. 

And Stiles knows that’s why Derek is leaving. At least he told them all this time. Each one of the pack saying goodbye in their own way. Lydia insisted on a party but Derek grumbled so much they all settled for dinner; everyone sitting around the McCall’s dining room table eating pasta and trying to ignore the elephant in the room as to why they were all together in one place. 

Everyone had their own way of letting Derek go. 

This was Stiles’. 

He kneels down, brushing his hand over the plaque, the sun hitting the bronze making it sparkle just like the sun sitting low in the late afternoon sky. He smiles. It’s perfect. 

 

**The Hale Preserve  
** _The sun, the moon, the truth._   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Stiles has just pulled the blankets down on his bed, about to make a mountain of snuggly warmth when his window slides open. He turns, the draft causing a slight increase of goose bumps across his skin, and smiles.

“You all packed up?” He asks, plopping down onto the mattress. 

“I saw the tree.”

Stiles nods. “Are you mad?” He waits for the backlash. He waits for the stings of _‘you had no right’_ and _‘are you out of your mind?’_ and _‘take it down or I’ll huff and puff and blow it down’._

Instead he looks up into Derek’s eyes to see the first hints of red and wetness sitting on the edge, teetering and ready to fall down onto his stubbled cheeks. 

“Why did you do that?” He whispers.

Stiles shrugs. “Because. It’s your preserve. Your families. And even though you’ll be gone people should know. People should know who this land belongs to.”

Derek’s hands ball into fists and Stiles can see his sharp claws digging deep into the skin on his palms. 

And Derek is crying. 

Not a blubbering mess like how Stiles cries, just single tears, ever so manly, falling gracefully from green eyes. 

“Derek…” Stiles whispers because he isn’t sure what to even say. There’s a million things running through his head that he wants to spit in Derek’s direction. Things like _‘don’t leave me’_ , _‘I’ll miss you’_ , _‘I did it for you’_ , and again _‘please don’t go’_. But instead he opts for his name, barely a hush on his lips but he knows Derek can hear it. 

“It’s not a big deal.” Stiles admits rubbing the palms of his hands over his cotton covered knees. 

“It is.” Derek chokes out. “It is to me.”

“Well, you’re welcome then.” Stiles gives him a soft smile. “We’ll take care of the land while you’re gone. I promise.”

Derek swallows, his lips wet from the few tears that have fallen. “Who will take care of you?”

Stiles cocks his head. “Hey man, give me some credit. I think I do pretty well taking care of myself. Besides, I got your number. If I need you, I’ll call. Or yell. Or whatever. Plus, I have my main man Scott. He’s got this.”

“So you don’t need me then.” Derek asks. 

Stiles eyes widen. “No, dude. Of course we need you. But we get why you’re going.”

“No, _you_ don’t need me.”

Stiles bites the inside of his mouth, the pain keeping words he’s been dying to say for years now at bay. “You’ve saved my life more than once, Derek. I think it would be safe to say I definitely need you.”

“Then ask me.” Derek pleads in a voice Stiles has never heard him use before. It’s vulnerable and scared and hesitant. He’s not used to it. It makes his heart break and he wants to tell Derek what he wants to hear. But it’s too late for that now. 

“I can’t.”

“Why, Stiles?”

Stiles feels his own eyes about to overflow and he looks away at a spot on his rug from where he spilled chocolate milk when he was 7. “Because, you need to go. You need to finally have a life outside all this mess. You deserve better.”

“And what do you deserve, Stiles?”

It’s such an open never ending question. Some could argue Stiles deserves everything. All he’s lost. All he’s been through. But some could say he deserves nothing. The guilt from the Nogistune still hanging over him. There is no right or wrong answer. 

So Stiles gives the most honest answer he can bare to let slip through his lips. 

“Not you.”

Truth is Stiles has no idea what this _thing_ is between him and Derek. This question with no answer that’s been hanging in the air since that fateful day in the woods when Derek made his presence known in Stiles life. He came in like a soft breeze just mildly blowing through Stiles' mundane life but soon turned into the storm of the century with causalities and a tragic love story that only existed in a mind of a teenage boy who had to grow up too fast. 

Derek furrows his brow at him and Stiles takes a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. He’s getting a headache. 

“Listen, you need to like…go off and find a nice werewolf to be with. You’ve gone from one crazy bitch to the next. And maybe that’s the problem. Humans. You should go find a nice werewolf to settle down with. Leave this God forsaken town and find your mate and make a new Hale pack. Whatever dance you and I have been doing the past couple of years…I…You don’t need another fucked up human. You have a chance to start a new life. Take it. Run. Run as fast and as far away from this place as you can.”

“I don’t want another werewolf.” Derek states. Stiles blinks rapidly at him. “Maybe I like humans.”

“Well you are a glutton for punishment.”

The corners of Derek’s mouth curve upwards. “Yeah, maybe I am.”

“So,” Stiles flails his arms. “Go! This can’t be the _only_ town with werewolves.”

“No.” Derek’s fingers finally extend outwards again away from balled fists. “But it's the only town with you.”

Stiles’ eyes slide shut. He can’t do this to him. Stiles was okay. He had accepted he may never see Derek again. He knew it was best for Derek. He couldn’t be selfish. He had to let him go.

“See? All the more reason to go.”

“All the more reason not to go.”

Stiles feels heated anger bubble up onto the surface of his skin. “Derek, Jesus Fucking Christ! Just go, okay! I’m letting you go! No guilt, no shoulda, woulda, coulda. Just take your cute werewolf ass and leave this fucking town. It’s okay. I accept it. Just FUCKING GO.”

“Fine.” Derek grumbles angrily. “On one condition.”

“Anything. If you just fucking go.” Stiles sighs. 

“Tell me the truth. The truth Stiles, so I don’t need to listen to your heartbeat to tell if you’re lying.” Derek warns. 

“Yeah, okay.” Stiles waves his hand in Derek’s direction. “Shoot.”

“Why was I the king on your chessboard?”

Stiles feels his chest begin to crush inward on him. “How did you know about that?”

“Just answer the question. TRUTHFULLY, Stiles.”

Stiles swallows, wringing his hands together, unable to look Derek in those green eyes he knows will haunt him forever. “The king is the most important but also the weakest on the board. The goal is to corner it, checkmate it. But if stays safe, in the end it finds its way to the middle of the board and just attacks anything that is left. That’s kinda how I always felt about you. I needed to make sure you were safe. It’s why I held you up in a pool for 3 hours; it’s why I always went back for you. Cause I knew, in the end, you would be the most important piece in all this. And I was right. You needed to survive.” He finally looks up; searching Derek’s eyes, hoping the answer is enough.

“And what piece are you, Stiles?”

Stiles smirks. “I’m the queen. Duh.”

Derek nods, his expression the softest Stiles has ever seen. “Okay.” He turns back to the window, pushing the curtains aside. Stiles feels the night breezes again. He shivers. “Be good, Stiles.”

Stiles knows he doesn’t mean _‘stay out of trouble’_ good. He means good to himself and to be the people around him. Just like he’s been to Derek. 

And just as fast as Derek appeared in his life, he is gone into the night.

Stiles breaks his chessboard that night, clutching the king in his palm, causing small holes seeping blood to form on his palm. 

And he cries.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Everyone is crowded around Derek’s SUV helping him load the last few boxes of books and bags of clothing into the back. They each say their goodbyes; all hesitant about it being okay to hug him or not, but he pulls each one of the pack members into his arms, hand on the back of their heads, letting them feel his heartbeat one last time. He hugs Lydia the longest, telling her in his embrace to please take care of the boy they both have come to love so much. She nods into his chest, keeping her tears at bay like the bravest one of them all.

Scott goes in for the bro-hug, but Derek wraps his arm around the Alpha, patting his back and telling him, yet again when they pull apart, that he’s going to be a good Alpha. Scott nods and Derek can see the wetness forming in his puppy dog eyes. His emotions are going to lead him. Be his anchor. 

Derek thinks love is a better anchor than anger any day. 

Derek doesn’t want them to watch him drive away, his body language telling them that as he lingers next to the driver’s side door swung open. They nod, giving one last nod and sniffle and Derek’s watches as they all pile into Lydia’s car, giving Derek one last beep and massive wave as it kicks up dirt onto the street. 

Derek looks back at the building once more, thinking back to Isaac and Boyd and everyone else he’s lost either by death or better circumstances. He thinks about how each pack member had left their scent in there, making it easier for Derek to sleep at night. 

And he thinks of Stiles, whose scent will linger on him, long after he is gone from Beacon Hills. 

His hand on the door he slides into the driver’s seat and turns the SUV over, revving the engine, preparing it for the long drive. Derek still isn’t sure where he is going, but when he finds it he will know. 

If he ever finds it. 

Just as he is about to shut the door, he hears it. 

The screeching tires, the engine grinding in the distance. Derek smiles but also feels his heart begin to race. He was sure the night in his bedroom was their final goodbye. Derek isn’t sure he can handle another. 

He could just leave. But he is sure Stiles would follow him, waving his arms out the window, almost pushing him into a ditch. He might as well get whatever is it that Stiles is planning over with. 

Pain always subsides. 

The Jeep comes to a screeching halt as Derek gets out of the SUV, hand still on the door. Stiles fumbles out his door and onto the ground, eyes wide, face red, heart beat so erratic Derek isn’t even sure how he hasn’t passed out yet. 

“Oh, thank God. I thought you’d be gone.” Stiles puffs out. 

“Just about to leave. Everyone else just took off.” Derek nods out toward the road. Stiles looks back as if he is looking for some sign that they were indeed there. “What is it, Stiles?”

“Did you honestly think I’d let you leave without saying goodbye?” Stiles begins to walk toward him and Derek feels himself begin to tense. 

“We said goodbye, Stiles.” He reminds him. 

Stiles shakes his head. “You didn’t even hug me.”

“I cant.” Derek admits, pushing his back against the SUV as Stiles gets closer. 

“Oh, come on Sour wolf. Don’t make this so dramatic. I’m happy for you. I really am.” Stiles extends his arms out, waiting for Derek to make his own move. He doesn’t. Stiles wiggles his fingers extended in midair. Derek shakes his head. 

“I cant.” He states again firmly. 

Stiles drops his arms sighing. “Seriously?”

“I…I won’t let go.”

Stiles eyes widen at the confession. It makes him want to hug him more, wrap his arms so tight around him and nuzzle his face into Derek’s neck and inhale his scent one more time. And part of him doesn’t care. Part of him knows Derek is leaving anyway, what harm could it possibly do? But Stiles also knows Derek is right. He knows if he touches Derek, even in the most innocent of ways, he won’t be able to let go either. 

So he nods, accepting Derek’s answer. Its silent between them for a while; a standoff with their hearts. Stiles finally breaks the silence, his voice cracking. 

“You should probably get going. Your future awaits.”

Derek doesn’t move. He just studies Stiles’ face, memorizing the curve of his chin, the height of his cheekbones, how the sun reflects on honey brown colors. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

Stiles mouth opens and gapes at him. “I…oh. Well, thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”

And then it hits Derek like a building full of red bricks crashing down on top of him. He gets it now. Stiles is right. He does need to leave. He needs to get away, find himself and whatever it takes to finally let go of the rest of the guilt and pain he has left inside him. 

But that doesn’t mean he has to let Stiles go to do it. 

“Get in.” Derek nods his head inside the SUV. 

“I…what?”

“Get in the truck.” 

“Uh…why?”

“Just in get in, Stiles.”

“Not until you tell me why.”

Of course this would happen. Of course this wouldn’t be easy. Of course Stiles was going to fight him with every breath. It’s just who he is. 

And Derek loves it.

“I’m kidnapping you. Get. In.” Derek gets in the driver seat, hand on the door, eyeing Stiles. Waiting. 

He’s always been waiting for him. 

Within seconds, as the light finally clicks on in Stiles brain, he is bolting to the passenger side and throwing himself violently into the seat, slamming the door. “Dude, I have no clothes.”

“You won’t need them.” Derek quirks an eye brow at him, throwing the truck into reverse and leaving all the doubts and _‘no this is wrong’_ , _‘it will only end badly’_ and _‘if he loves you he will wait for you’_ statements in the dust as the **“Now leaving Beacon Hills"** sign shakes at the force of speed Derek is using to get as far away as possible.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
**6 days later:**

 

Stiles’ eyes blink open; the sun peaking its way in through the blinds causing a kaleidoscope of colors to jump around behind his closed eyes. He yawns and makes little groaning noises as he stretches his long thin limbs out underneath comfy sheets. His body aches and he’s smelly and dirty, but in the morning warmth none of that matters. He turns his head, smiling at the black mess of hair sticking out from underneath the pile of blankets Derek has managed to wrap himself with like a cocoon. 

Stiles moves, kicking the sheets off his pale naked legs and Derek whimpers next to him. “You’re letting the cold air in.” 

Stiles laughs and rolls over, throwing his arms around Derek’s heated body. “I thought werewolves didn’t get cold.”

“Shut up and go back to sleep.” Derek grumbles into his pillow. 

“No way. It’s beautiful out. We need to enjoy this day. And I need clothes. And since you kidnapped me, you’re paying.” He pokes at Derek’s shoulder. He finally rolls over, eyes blurry with sleep but sparkling in the sun’s light. 

“You plan on going home anytime soon?”

“Wait, I have a choice? That goes against the whole idea of kidnapping, you know that right?”

“What about school?” 

“Pftt. Fuck it. There’s only two months left. I’ll say I got violently ill. _*cough cough*_ I have come down with a bad case of werewolf cooties.” Stiles falls dramatically against his pillow, his hand covering his eyes. He peaks at Derek through his fingers. “No?”

“Your father is going to shoot me.” Derek groans, craning his neck to peck Stiles on the mouth. “Let’s go. As much as I enjoy you naked, you do need clothes eventually. You need to eat like every two hours and there’s just so much food the cabin’s fridge can hold.”

Stiles giggles with delight, making grabby hands at Derek as he begins to sit up in bed. Derek smirks. “Again?”

“What can I say? I have werewolf cooties and the only cure is your cock.” Stiles wiggles his eye brows and Derek leans down and over pale naked skin, covering it with his own naked body and a pile of blankets. He kisses Stiles for real this time; covering plump lips with his entire mouth. Kissing Stiles is everything he had been searching for. It awakens and calms his wolf and for the first time in a long time, Derek feels comfortable in his own skin when its touching Stiles’. 

When Stiles feels Derek’s uncut thick cock slide underneath his balls he moans, spreading his legs farther so Derek can find the prize. 

“Checkmate.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song "Landlocked Blues" by Bright Eyes.
> 
> Its Derek's song. No really. Go read the lyrics. I'll wait.


End file.
